SSI 
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Portsmouth, Virginia 
Public Schools 



REPORT AND SURVEY 



OF 



SCHOOL HOUSING CONDITIONS 

Copyrighted 

CHARLES M. ROBINSON, 
SCHOOL ARCHITECTS 

Portsmouth Public Schools 
1921 

W. C. Hill Printing- Co., Richmond, Va. 






©0I.A653675 



M 31 1322 



School Board Organization 



First District: 
R. S. Marshall 
\Y. F. Robertson 
Mrs. Cora S. Darden 



Second District: 
B. L. Shepherd 
F. T. Briggs 
W. R. McGehee 



Third District: 
J. E. < Jarroll 
B.J. Maddrey 
('. \. Markham 



STANDING COMMITTEES. 



Committee on School Regulations: — Messrs. Marshall (Chairman), Briggs and 

Robertson. 
Committee on Buildings and Equipment: — Messrs. McGehee (Chairman"). Shepherd 

and Carroll. 
Committee on Finance; — Messrs. Maddrey (Chairman I, Markham and Mrs. Darden. 



OFFICERS OF THE BOARD. 



President. F. T. BRIGGS 
Vice-President, R. S. MARSHALL... 
Treasurer. H. L. HUDGINS 
Clerk. MISS NELLIE J. SIMMONS 
Stenographer. MISS ALICE EWELL... 
Architect, CHARLES M. ROBINSON 



New Kirn Building 
Bank of Tidewater 
( 'miit House 
Armisfead Building 
Armistead Building 
Richmond, Va. 



Sd'EKINTEXDEXT OF SCHOOLS. 



HARRY A. HUNT 



Armistead Building 



LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. 

Mr. H. A. Hint. 

Supl . of Schools. 

Portsmout h, Va. 

Dear Sir: 

We herewith submil our survey and report on the bousing condition of your 
schools together with a tentative building program. 

CHARLES M. ROBINSON, SCHOOL ARCHITECTS 
PORTSMOUTH PUBLIC schools. 



Practically ten years have passed since we were elected School Architects 
for the city of Portsmouth and submitted to you a report on a survey made of 
your school housing conditions. At that time the immediate problem was that of 
satisfactorily locating a new building so as to best serve the City's future popula- 
tion, but the survev was made without attempting an extensive analysis of condi- 
tions throughout your City. This method was repeated when considering the 
location of your new high school . Since this time there have been material changes 
in conditions and territory has been annexed. The following report is, therefore, 
supplementary to reports already made and is carried further into detail in order 
that all important points may be considered. 

The most remarkable fact to present itself is that even with the changes due 
to war conditions and annexation the basic principals determined in these previ- 
ous surveys have not changed, nor are there any material alterations to be made 
to your program. Today's problem is to care for your population increase occurr- 
ing since your last white elementary school was built in 1912, and to replace old 
buildings which have outlived their usefulness and are not well suited to the de- 
mands of a modern school system. 

On the thoroughness of your school system of today depends the grade of 
citizens you will have in the future. Political capital has been made of the fact 
that we are today developing sixth grade citizens, it having been shown that the 
average child leaves school in the sixth grade. The demand for better education 
is insistent, and unless the school housing conditions can be kept practically on a 
par with the educational standards, material improvement will be unattainable. 

Population : 

Your school population is shown graphically on charts No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3. 



(2) 



C/1ART * I 



5cttOOL POPULATION 1910 - 19 Z\ 
WlT/i /NORMAL- IMCREASE TO 1 9 30 



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31 ^ 



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1^ 



5 o* 



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E*: 



— F 



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33: 



-feOOC 



-4000 



-300O* 



1000 



1310 1912 1914 1916 191© 1920 1922 1924 I92"t» 1950 



L 



Grade Cmart *2 

SttOWIflG PR.OPOKTlO/1 Of WttlTE SCrtOOL 
POPULATION IN EACrt GRADE. 




TAIS CrtART DASED O-N Tttt FORMAL 
RATE Of IACRE.A3E. 



^MOWING DECREASE, Of 5CftOOL POPULATION 
fKOM GRADE TO GRADE OM A &AS1S OF 
10O PUPILS STARTING SC/AOOL IN T/AE 1 5T. GRADE 




Taken from tal average values 1910 to 

1921 IN -PORTSMOUTA , Va. CORRECTED fOR. 
ANNEXATION IflCKtADL 



On chart No. 1, which gives the rate of increase in school population, you will 
note that, other than as the result of annexation, there has been no material vari- 
ation in the rate of increase. The maximum variation other than by annexation 
was in 1914 when the war started. Only a general business depression will create 
a material drop in rate of increase, as any local depression will immediately up- 
set the normal economic balance, create an abundant labor market and reduce 
the value of speculative property. Industry is quick to avail itself of the 
advantages presented, either in the enlargement of existing plants or the building 
of new plants, with the result that it is only a comparatively short period before 
conditions return to normal. This is particularly true in view of the housing 
situation throughout the entire country. 

Chart No. 2 shows the relative proportion of your white school population 
in each grade. 

Chart No. 3 shown the loss of pupils as they pass from grade to grade. 

This takes into consideration the pupils entering school after the first year; 
if these pupils were eliminated the proportion of graduates would be materially 
reduced. As these outside pupils do enter school, and as they influence your 
school population and housing, we always include them. This loss of pupils from 
grade to grade is about the general average. 

Distribution: 

The Master Maps on file at the school board offices (which show the home 
grade and school of each pupil) show that the City is divided into nine districts, 
six white and three colored, which we have designated by the schools within the 
district. 

Your present distribution of pupils to the schools is as near perfect as can be 
obtained until additional rooms are furnished, and your administrative officers 
deserve the highest credit for the manner in which this difficult problem has been 
handled. 

Part Time Classes: 

You have 20 classes with 739 pupils on part time in the white schools and 34 
classes with 1,580 pupils on part time in the colored schools. These pupils receive 
only four hours instructions per day instead of the five hours instruction which 
the full course requires. 

As a result: 

(a) You either lower requirements and give your pupils only 80% 
of the accepted amount of work considered as a standard, in 
order that they may pass their grades, 

OR: 

(b) You maintain your requirements, in which event you either 
force the average pupil to remain in school from one to three 
years longer, or encourage the normal pupil to leave school 
because of conditions to which only the supernormal child is 
equal. 

(6) 



These statements are not idle theory as you will see by again referring to chart 
No. 3 which clearly shows that of 100 children entering the first grade only 55 
reach the 7th grade, only !0 enter high school where only 7 graduate. In 
other words, less than 50% of your children receive a full grammer school educa- 
tion and only 7% a high school education. This is to a great extent a condition 
met everywhere and must be to a material extent the result of poor housing 
conditions and overcrowded grades. 

In terms of dollars, the loss to your City of the hour per day by the part time 
teachers represents a loss of probably $10,000.00 per year in teachers' salaries 
alone. This does not attempt to estimate the loss due to pupils remaining in 
school longer and necessitating more years of instruction, nor the resulting in- 
crease in the congestion already present. 

Building: 

The accompanying data sheets show in general the condition of your build- 
ings Among the items indicated is the fact that eight of your buildings are heat- 
ed by stoves in the rooms. 

You will also note the ratings which some of your buildings receive in the 
recent State Survey made under the direction of Dr. Inglis of Harvard University 

GOOD TO AVERAGE. 



High School 
Ann Street School 
Jefferson Street School 
Pinners Point School 
Washington School 



rating 


940 


7-ating 


801 


rating 


700 


rating 


776 


rating 


763 



AVERAGE TO POOR. 



Port Norfolk No. 1 School 
Prentiss Park School 



rating 
rating 



7Hl 
696 



POOR TO VERY POOR. 



rating 


639 


rating 


621 


rating 


615 


rating 


596 


rating 


574 



Port Norfolk No. 2 School 
Cooke Street School 
Elm Street School 
Green Street School 
Glasgow Street School 

Norcom, Truxton, Brighton, Mount Bermon, Fifth Street and Chestnut 
Street Schools were not rated, 1 n it Norcom and Truxton are probably in the first 
class, Brighton in the second class and .Mount Bermon, Chestnut and Fifth Street 
are probably the worai in the City. 

A summary as to the different buildings considered from the standpoint of 

suitability, condition, location and possibilities for future extension follows:- 



(7) 



The Woodrow Wilson High School is a practically new unit building, being 
planned in 1916. Increases in population have made necessary an addition now 
contracted for. Location just west of the Norcom colored district is as near the 
center of population as possible without locating the building inside of a colored 
district. It will approach the center of population as the City continues to de- 
velop. 

Washington school is centrally located in its district, in good condition and 
admirably suited to an extension along King Street. It has, however, the dis- 
advantage that land values are high and as a result playground space will be re- 
stricted. 

Ann Street School is centrally located in its section, well suited to extension 
and can be developed. 

Jefferson Street School has a 12 room addition under contract. While this 
building is not in the exact center of the district yet is is balanced with Fifth 
Street School at present and will have a better balance when the Elm School is 
developed. 

Cooke Street School is located almost on the edge of a colored section. 
While we are not including it after 1930, it being rated below 650, yet it can be 
used, if necessary, to take care of pupils from both Ann and Washington districts. 

Fifth Street School is one of your poorest and should be abandoned as soon 
as possible. 

Green Street School is practically inside of a colored district. It rates below 
600 and would not justify any major alterations. As soon as Washington School 
can be enlarged the pupils should be transferred. 

Elm Street School is an assortment of buildings unsatisfactory from an oper- 
ative and inefficient from an economical standpoint. It is well located for a 
future unit to provide for the section, using Prentiss Park as a feeder in the more 
thinly settled section. 

Prentiss Park School is as above stated a feeder to Elm Street. While it is 
rated rather low yet it can be used until 1930, after which abandoment should be 
considered. 

Glasgow School, the lowest of those rated, is composed of a central building 
and four portables. It shares the disadvantages of Elm Street in addition to the 
central building being of a lower grade. It should be replaced with a new 
unit preferably where shown. 

Port Norfolk School is composed of two buildings neither of which is adapted 
to extension. When necessary to provide additional facilities a new building 
near Franklin Circle should be added as a separate unit owing to the probabilities 
of development in this direction. 

Pinners Point School serves a limited section beyond the Railroad in Port 
Norfolk district. Its rating is fairly good and it should serve its section until 
development of the railroad terminal crowds out the residences. 

Norcom colored school serves as both high and grammar school and is locat" 
ed as near the center of negro population as possible. It is a new building and 
should serve indefinitely. 

. Chestnut Street Colored School is about on a par with the Fifth Street School 
and must be replaced within the next ten years. 

Truxton School is the most expensive in your City being built to government 
standards without apparent regard to cost. It is entirely satisfactory for its 
purpose. 

(8) 



Brighton School though only of a fair grade must probably remain for many 
years. 

Mouni Sermon School is not a satisfactory unit and should be replaced be- 
fore 1930; it has already outlived its useful life and cannot be counted on to last, 
much longer. 

From the above statements with the careful consideration of reporl sheets 
of each building you will see thai the buildings range from the high school, which 
compares favorably with any in the country, to those in such bad condition that 
only the alternative of turning children out on the streets justifies their use. Your 
newer buildings measured by any standard show \\}i well and the only possible 
criticism of your program would be its slowness. 

Future Development : 

On chart No. ! is plotted the school population from 1010 to 1921. You will 
note that other than that caused by annexation all variations in the rate of increase 
have been small. Using this fact as a basis we have shown the expected increase 
to 1930. In all cases, however, we have found that a greater rate of increase will 
be experienced. We doubt if it would he safe to attempl to forecast the increase 
beyond that time, and this survey should he reviewed about l'.'-'"" and any correct- 
ions applied before determining your program after thai time. 

Attention must be given to the direct ion and location of expansion and upon 
the judgment exercised in properly locating this future increase will depend to a 
large extent the success of your program. For this reason we will take up the 
possibilites of expanding each district. 

Washington District is almost built, up solid and will lose some houses to 
business properties. * Therefore, we need only provide for a nominal increi 
population. 

Jefferson District is well built up except in the section to the southwest. As 
the above section builds up the opposite side of the district will experience a pop- 
ulation loss on account of business developments along the railroads and water- 
front. For these reasons the proportion of population increase will he only slight 
ly greater than in Washington District. 

Ann District is well built up in the vicinity of the Cooke Street School, hut has 
considerable vacant property toward the water front and also across the bridge 
in the West Park View section. As this is very desirable residence property this 
section should have its full proportion of increase in population. This increase 
will, of course, decrease in rate as the section becomes more and more built up. 

Elm, Glasgow and Fort Norfolk districts are as yet comparatively undevelop- 
ed. At points these districts show complete development, but there is much 
vacant property. As they are further from the center of the city they will prob- 
ably develop more slowly than the inner (list ricts in proportion to the vacant pro- 
perty, but there being more property to develop they will probably develop at 
about the same rate as the Ann District. 

The above would give the probable distribution of the normal 100 pupils a 
year increase in white school population as Elm, Glasgow, Fort Norfolk and Ann 
Districts 20 each, Jefferson and Washington 10 each. 

We cannot make an accurate estimate of where the increases will be in the 
colored districts owing to the colored population being a more or less "floating" 

(9) 







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one and the tendency of the colored people to move into white sections at any 
point where property is allowed to deteriorate. Comparatively little develop- 
ment is being done in the shape of new buildings for colored people, except in Mount 
Hermon and Truxton Districts. We would divide the 90 pupil colored increase 
for this reason into 30 pupils per year for each of the three districts. 

A factor to be considered, but being comparatively new is as yet indetermin- 
ate in value and is impossible to locate in advance, is the growing tendency to the 
use of apartments. This will affect the total population but slightly and minor 
corrections may be applied if any general building of apartments is started. 

The high school population, which shows an increase of 3G in the white 
high school per year, will, of course, be drawn nearly in proportion to the school 
population, and should be taken care of in your present building with the addition 
under contract until necessary to build Junior High Schools. 

TABLE NO. 1. 

Present Needs in Schools. 

Pupils in Schools 
District. Rooms At Present will fill rooms. 

Washington 22 22 

Jefferson 16 24 

Ann 16 16 

Glasgow 12 14 

Elm 12 16 

Port Norfolk 12 19 

High School 23 34 

Norcom 28 28 

Truxton IS 24 

Mount Hermon 8 17 

Total rooms needed 167 214 

The above table includes all temporary buildings used in connection with the 
school buildings. Rooms are based on 30 pupils for white high school classes, 40 
pupils for white elementary school classes, and 45 pupils for colored classes as these 
have the most pupils that you can average due to irregularities in size of grades. 

You have contracts let for the following additional class rooms: 

Jefferson School 12 rooms 

High School 10 rooms 

which leaves a net shortage of 29 rooms at this time. 

To this must be added the necessary replacements and increases before 1925 
as follows: 

TABLE NO. 2.. 

Replace Glasgow Street School .12 rooms 

Replace Elm Street School 11 rooms 

Increase in population 10 rooms 

Additional rooms needed over Table No. 1 before 1925....33 rooms 
Total rooms needed before 1925... 62 rooms 

(10) 



Next, should be considered the replacement <>f all buildings classed as un- 
suitable. These should be replaced before 1930 as it is probable thai they will be 
condemned by that time; material repairs may be made upon these buildings 1ml 
they would be of doubtful value. These are given in table No. •'! below:- 

TABLE NO. 3. 

Replacements and additions 1925 to 1930. 

Abandon Fifth Street School 8 rooms 

Abandon Cooke Street School 8 rooms 

Abandon Green Street School 12 roons 

Abandon Chetnut Street School 8 rooms 

Abandon Mount Hermon School 8 rooms 

Increase in population not less than 12 rooms 

Total additional rooms 1925 to 1930.... 50 rooms 

Progam : 

To present a logical method in view of the data in hand, we would suggesi 1 hat 
the following distribution of rooms be made by districts. 

WASHINGTON DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 1 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 14 

Total rooms needed before 1930 15 rooms 

Addition to Washington Street School before 1930 16 rooms 

JEFFERSON DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at present 8 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 9 

Additional rooms needed before 1930^ 1 

Total rooms needed before 1930 .18 

Addition to Jefferson School (under contract). 12 rooms 

The G extra rooms should be shifted to Elm Street School when 1'il't li St red 
School is abandoned, and the district reduced in size. 

ANN DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 2 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 1" 

Total rooms needed before 1930 12 

Addition to Ann School before 1930 ... .12 rooms 



(ID 



ELM DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 4 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 12 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 2 

Additional rooms for pupils shifted from Jefferson 

District 6 

Total rooms needed before 1930 24 

Replace Elm Street School with 24 room unit building by 1925. 

GLASGOW DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 2 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 14 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 3 

Total rooms needed before 1930 .19 

Building to replace Glasgow School build before 

1925 where shown 20 rooms 

PORT NORFOLK DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 7 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 2 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 2 

Total rooms needed before 1930 11 

New building near Franklin Circle before 1925. 12 rooms 

NORCOM DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 4 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 13 

Total rooms needed before 1930 17 

Building to replace Chestnut Street School before 1930 20 rooms 

TRUXTON DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 6 - 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 - 2 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 3 

Total rooms needed before 1930 11 

Building near Maupin Street before 1930 12 rooms 

MOUNT HERMON DISTRICT. 

Additional rooms needed at once 9 

Additional rooms needed before 1925 2 

Additional rooms needed before 1930 11 

Total rooms needed before 1930 22 

Building near where shown at Pinners Point at once 4 rooms 

New Mount Hermon School (needed at once) before 1925 18 rooms 



(12) 



Lots: 

One of your immediate considerations is the question of lots for future build- 
ings. No greater mistake can be made than to wait until ready to ered a build- 
ing before purchasing the necessary lot. This results in the paying of high prices 
for lots where it is frequently necessary to remove buildings, and also tends to re- 
strict playgrouna space because of high cost of ground. We would recommend 
that after your future policy is outlined that you purchase lots for future build- 
ings as rapidly as funds can be secured, and we show on map sheet No. 1 several 
probable locations. Should it prove necessary to change your program due to 
conditions these lots can always be sold without loss. 

Playgrounds: 

We also advise that playgrounds be given consideration at this time. When' 
there are numerous vacant lots and commons it is hard to justify the purchase of 
property for playgrounds. However, when a section is once built up, property 
can then only be converted into playgrounds at an almost prohibitive cost. This 
question must come up not only in the purchase of lots for new buildings but also 
in regard to present buildings. 

Extensive Building Programs: 

Your attention is called to many cities in the North and West where extensive 
building programs for schools involving millions are now under way, and where 
old school buildings are often ignored and some times destroyed before they have 
outlived their usefullness. These people have learned that the old policy of erect- 
ing a school building by accident, personal whim or self-interest of some one in 
authority, or special group interest, does not pay financially and usually results 
in not having school facilities for many of the children. This policy of wiping t he 
slate clean and beginning a new program will be watched with interest. I do not 
doubt that many years hence these cities will be ahead in a financial sense, and 
be able to educate their children at less cost per capita than formerly. 

We do not believe, however, that it would be policy for Portsmouth to at- 
tempt any such program, as it yet remains to be proven that it will lie more econo- 
mical than the policy of using all available buildings as long as possible and adding 
as necessary. 

Unit Building: 

Recently we have been devoting more study to the standardized unit build- 
ing. While costing slightly greater in first cost, these buildings can be added to 
at any time without destroying any value. While this plan permits the building 
to meet only present needs, yet it provides for future needs at a minimum 
initial cost. As you have advocated standardization continuously since we were 
first elected your School Architects we feel it a waste of time to discuss Further 
its advantages. 

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. 

The following recommendations, with most of which you are familiar, are here 
repeated as a memorandum. 

(13) 



Fireproofing: 

In view of the comparatively high costs of fireproof buildings, it is at times 
impracticable to vise fireproof construction for all buildings. No building, how- 
ever, should be built unless of the so called "Fire Resisting" class. By this we 
mean fireproof walls, corridors, stairs and fireproof slab over r^e heating plant. 
The roof should be covered with an Underwriters' "Class A" roof, and all wood 
framing covered with metal lath and plaster. This construction while not fire- 
proof, gives protection to the children in that the exits are always safe, and by the 
fireproof slab over the heating plant and the metal lath over the wood framing the 
chance of fire is reduced to a minimum. 

A somewhat more fireproof building can be built of brick with the so called 
"Metal Lumber" floor construction. This type of building is incombustible and 
we believe will prove fireproof for all buildings where no great quantity of com- 
bustible material is stored. We would recommend, however, that a concrete slab 
be placed over the furnace and coal rooms. This type of building is rated fire- 
proof by the Underwriters with a slight penalty. 

Next comes the reinforced concrete building.. In most cases we have built 
this type of school with wood framed roof as the cost of a fireproof roof slab has 
been out of proportion to its value. Unless your building is exposed to a serious 
fire risk from surrounding buildings this construction should prove satisfactory. 

Light: 

The Virginia State Law requires that window area of school rooms be equal 
to one-fourth of the floor area, and light to be admitted from the left or left and 
rear of the pupils. This may be done by either the unilateral or bi-lateral system. 
Both systems have their advocates, but in large buildings bi-lateral lighting is not 
practical except in corner rooms. In our opinion, the important thing is to get 
plenty of window area located with the tops close to ceiling and without division 
between the windows. The reason for the latter recommendation is to prevent 
alternate light and shadows in the rooms. 

Heating and Ventilation : 

Probably no one item in school construction has presented more problems than 
the school heating and ventilating system. The law requires 30 cu. ft. of fresh air 
per pupil per minute. This means 72,000 cu. ft. of air per hour for each forty pupil 
class room. The controlling of the temperature of this large quantity of air has 
been in the past the most difficult problem in school heating. When no tempera- 
ture control is provided it is almost impossible to maintain a satisfactory tempera- 
ture in rooms in which the air is changed every 6§ minutes. Temperature control 
apparatus has been developed to the point where it can now be depended upon to 
produce satisfactory results. 

As to the manner of or method of heating, we have long preferred on account 
of its simplicity the warm air plant designed to meet our standard speci- 
fications. We know there are many technical and theoretical arguments pro and 
con for each system, but have regarded them as to a great extent talking points 
for the systems advocated by the salesman. Practically it is possible to design 
any system to meet any reasonable efficiency or guarantee. As a test of this we 
recently designed three plants for a large school building to meet the same effi- 

(14) 



ciency. We had these checked by a prominent advocate of the steam systems 
who reported the efficiencies to be practically the sane and that to reduce the 
cost of any system would make any of the others preferable. Bids were secured 
from both Iocaljmd large outside firms resulting as follows' 

Warm Air $34,782.00 Bond, Guarantee & Maintenance 5 yens. 

Hot Blast (steam) $40,092.00 Guarantee 1 year, no maintenance or bond. 

Split (steam) $10,986.00 Guarantee 1 year, no maintenance or bond. 

The low bids on the steam plant were from one of t lie largest heal ing concerns 
in the country and no local contractor was within $10,000 of the warm air bid. 

With this data before us it would appear impossible for a steam plant of the 
same efficiency to compete in price with a well designed warm air plant. We be- 
lieve, however, that all specifications should be so written thai any contractor 
may bid on any system he desires, in order to take advantage of any new develop- 
ments brought out. 

Humidity control is prehaps as serious as any problem in heating anil ven- 
tilation. In a closed room without ventilation the human bodies usually give off 
enough moisture to maintain a hunidity relatively high, but frequently of a danger- 
ous character. In ventilated rooms the heating of the air lowers its humidity with 
the result that the air feels dry. This is overcome to some extent by the introduc- 
tion of water pans into the heating chamber. As health authorities have never 
agreed on what is the proper amount of humidity we have placed a humidifier pan 
in the plenum chamber and made no attempt at control. 

Damp Prevention: 

The question of humidity also brings up the question of furring or waterproof- 
ing outside walls to prevent dampness. We have observed considerable tendency 
in the Portsmouth section for dampness to show on the inside of the exterior walls. 
This may be due to dampness coming through the wall, or it may be condensation 
on the inside. Waterproof paint under the plaster would cure the former, but it 
will have no effect on the latter. Furring the walls with wood strips, laths and 
plaster, or lining with hollow tile is the only remedy for condensation 

Soil: 

fn all tidewater sections is run the risk of bad foundal ions, that is. t he soil will 
not sustian great loads. This often forces the use of either piling or increased 
footings to compensate for weakness of soil. The lightest building you can ered 
consistent with, strength is desirable and is also the most economical. It does not 
follow that a building of massive construction is the strongesl or most lasting. 

In recent years "Metal Lumber" has been introduced which would be a better 
material than wood joists and lighter than steel and concrete. It should be given 
consideration when you plan your future buildings. 

Ventilated Wardrobes : 

Ventilated wardrobes, originated by us a number of years ago, and now being 

copied in many parts of the country, are unquestionably the most satisfactory solu- 
tion of the cloak room problem. They occupy less space 1 and thoroughly ventilate 

(15) 



the clothes. If the clothes are wet when hung up tliey will be dry when again need- 
ed. They also act to distribute the air evenly over the class room and prevent 
drafts on the floor. 

Sanitaries : 

This is one of your most serious problems. In a portion of your City you have 
no sewers and in other portions the sewers are not adequate. Few people realize 
that during five hours per day the few toilets in your schools must handle the sew- 
age from one-fifth of your total population. These toilets are always congested 
during the recess periods and it is impossible to use the same apparatus in a toilet 
room handling some 20 pupils per seat as could be used in the average house with- 
out creating filthy conditions. Toilets must be ventilated; due to the trouble ex- 
perienced in getting janitors to keep fire burning in stack heaters we have abandon- 
ed these heaters in favor of vent fans with signal lights in the principal's office. 
We have favored the vent ilated latrines on account of their simplicity and the diffi- 
culty in properly ventilating an individual seat. These are, however, prohibited 
in Portsmouth so we have been using the vented seat and are experimenting on auto- 
matic flush valves in connection with ventilated closets. We believe that within 
the next few months we will have developed an arrangement which will prove satis- 
factory both as to flushing and ventilation. The standard ventilated urinal of 
slate is about as satisfactory as can be obtained for school purposes. 

Toilet stalls for boys should have no doors for obvious reasons, but all stalls 
for girls should have doors even in the elementary grades. 

Drinking Fountains : 

Drinking fountains should be pvit 24 inches high on first floor in elementary 
schools and 30 inches on second floor. They should never be placed over a wash 
basin. If more than one head is required, use a special enamel trough. Drinking 
fountains are sources of endless trouble to school authorities. Water pressue 
varies in every municipal system and some times the flow is so weak that nothing 
but a "bubbling cup" will answer. This type of fountain is condemned by health 
authorities, because the child puts its mouth on it or spits in it. Heads having 
several streams together in the center are considered sanitary, but it is difficult 
to regulate the pressure, sometimes the water cannot be reached and next 
time when valve is open it strikes the child in the face. We have remedied 
this by placing a tank to give a constant pressue. 

Accessory Rooms: 

Your older buildings are not well supplied with rooms other than class rooms, 
such as teachers' rest rooms, principal's office, infirmaries, etc., and when your 
new buildings are planned a more convenient arrangement should be obtained. 
Regarding medical inspection, the infirmary at each school should be fitted up 
with toilet, an examining room, scale, etc. A room for testing of eyes would be a 
great aid to the medical inspector. 

Open Air Classes : 

Twenty pupils can be very confortably housed in an open air class room occupy- 
ing the same space as a regular class room. In the open air class rooms kitchen- 
ette, wardrobes and place for cots, blankets and wraps must be provided. 

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Blackboards: 

This is a very minor item, but we hear lots of complaints especially where 

blackboards are not of right height for the different grade pupils. Recently a 
questionaire was sent out to a number of teachers; answers varied, bul the prevail- 
ing opinion was that blackboards should be 3 feet (> inches wide, and:- 

Kindergarten set 26 inches above floor 

1st, 2nd & 3rd grades set 28 inches above floor 

4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grades set 32 inches above floor 

High School set 32 inches above floor 

Administration Building: 

One of the most important features of your school system should be a good 
administration building centrally located. Your present quarters are cramped and 
lack storage facilities. Many people running in and out of a school building inter- 
fere with the work and discipline of the school, and the time of the superintendent 
and other officials is too valuable to be taken up with children's annoyances. The 
administrative department should be purely for business and should have separate 
quarters. 

POLICY 

As to the policy of your Board I'm- the period outlined, we would make the 
following suggestons as a basis for discussion It will have the advantage to 
your Board of having a definite objective in view and will provide means whereby 
you will have the majority of your people working to the same end and thinking 
along the same lines. 
General : 

(1) Purchase an entire block for each future school, where h can be secured 

at a reasonable cost, 

(2) Secure by options or purchase or gift from time to time large sites in sec- 

tions which will be later developed. 

(3) Locate elementary school, within ^ mile of practically every pupil and 

build as large units as possible instead of several smaller buildings. 

(4) Fireproof buildings where exposed to great fire hazard. 

(5) Fireproof (except roof) where fire hazard is comparatively high, but with 

ample space all around school building. 

(6) Have all other buildings fire protected, i. e., Fireproof corridors, stairs, 
and furnace rooms with brick walls and metal lath on wood joist in other 
rooms. 

(7) Eliminate all ultra-refined features which increase the ultimate cost at 
least until all unsatisfactory or low grade buildings are replaced. 

s ) Build no elementary school over two stories and basement in height. 
(9) Erect only standardized unit buildings in future. 
(10) Have a check survey made every 10 years for the purpose of outlining a 
policy for t he next decade. 

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Specific: 

We suggest: 

(11) That a lot be purchased for Glasgow Street School, also lots be purchased 
for the Pinners Point and Mount Hermon colored schools; also, lots for 
additions at Washington and Ann Street Buildings. 

(12) That other lots near where shown on map sheet No. 1 be obtained as soon 
as funds are available. 

(13) Replace Glasgow, build Franklin Circle and replace Elm white schools in 
order named as soon as possible; build Pinners Point and replace Mount 
Hermon colored schools as soon as possible. The above, which are the 
most urgent, should be followed by additions to Washington and Ann white 
schools and the building of the Maupin Street (near where shown) and the 
building to replace Chestnut Street School. 

04) Erect an administration building not connected to any school and where 
in addition to suitable quarters for the officials supply rooms and stock 
rooms can be provided. 

There may be other considerations which may cause you to modify the above 
recommendations. However, the above policy is a synopsis of that advocated by 
us in the past and has been the main factor in maintaining a lower cost per pupil 
for our clients than that given in any published statistics available in buildings 
comparing favorably with any in the country. 

Estimates: 

In planning your buildings you must bear in mind that while prices have sta- 
bilized, in fact increased slightly recently, and close estimates are possible, yet 
costs are practically twice pre-war prices. 

CONCLUSION. 

We feel that the survey and report as now presented to you with the informa- 
tion furnished by your people, with that collected by our representatives, with the 
analytical and detail work of our office force, are as nearly complete as can be 
obtained. 

We desire to express our appreciation of the hearty co-operation given by your 
teachers, principals and officers, as well as the members of your Board. There 
has been an enormous amount of detail work principally in securing the home loca- 
tion, grade and school of every pupil and transferring to maps, and your people have 
given freely and cheerfully large parts of their time assisting us. 

The assistance given by Mr. Hunt in particular in furnishing data and helping 
in the preparation of this report has been invaluable. 

It is to this kindly assistance given without hope of personal gain that much 
of the success of this survey may be attributed, and we wish to express our grati- 
tude to these, our friends, with whom we have worked for the past decade as 
School Architects for the City of Portsmouth. 



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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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